Näak Ambassador Samuel Finn

Professional Fitness Athlete

MONTRÉAL, QC

« The harder it gets, the stronger I get »

I’m just a regular guy who completely ignores the so-called limits we set ourselves. I went from playing full-time hockey to launching two small businesses in less than a year. In doing so, I refused a full scholarship + a $40,000 check from one of the top colleges in Canada. I financed both companies by working as a model and a construction worker. Both businesses failed and I launched a third one, ergonofis. I took all of my learnings (and savings) and applied them to my 3rd startup. 6 years later, we’re now a team of over 20 amazing people and we have thousands of customers all across North-America. More recently, I broke the Guinness World Record for the most burpees in 12 hours (I completed 5,234 burpees). In the process, I raised close to $70,000 for Sarcoma research, the cancer that took my brother Ced’s life when he was only 27 years old.

My goals with competing: I started biking and running in July 2020 and Immediately fell in love. I signed up to my first half Ironman for July 2021. I'm not sure if the situation will allow us to compete... so I may end up attacking a new Guinness World Record instead!

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2019 Guinness World Record chest-to-ground burpees

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU EVERY DAY TO TRAIN?

"I've always been very active, but, since my brother Ced's passing, I don't need as much motivation. Ced fought an unbeatable war with such courage and such discipline that he completely changed what motivation meant for me. Now, I don't find myself looking for motivation as much. I remind myself of him and I train every day to honour him. I do it to inspire others to chase their own dreams and to push their own boundaries. I do it because I have to.

DO YOU HAVE A PERSON WHO INSPIRES YOU?

My brother Ced. He taught me what real courage is, he showed me what truly matters, and he showed me how we can accomplish much more than we think possible.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE NUTRITION TIP TO SHARE ?

Keep it simple. It's so easy to get confused nowadays with all these different diets. At the end of the day I think it's important to keep things simple and find what works for you, not what works for that guy or girl on the cover of a magazine.

WHAT IS YOUR BEST RACING MEMORY?

At my last 10 minute break during the 12-hour world record, I fell to the floor completely exhausted. I had completed close to 4,000 burpees and I still had to complete over 1,000 to beat the world record. My team came rushing over me, putting cold towels on my body. I remember the doctor trying to take my blood glucose, but no blood was coming out of my fingers no matter how many times she poked them (my blood was staying close to my organs and large muscles required to perform burpees). I couldn’t feel my hands or my feet (which wasn’t such a bad thing because I had an ankle injury from doing so many burpees). After 9 minutes, I told everyone to step back and leave me alone. I looked at the clock and saw that I had only a few seconds left before I had to start doing burpees again. I didn’t know how I was even going to stand up, much less do burpees. As I had done so many times in training, I shut that little voice in my mind off and I willed myself to the burpee mat. Sure enough, I started doing burpees, one at a time. 3 hours later I had beaten the world record by over 200 reps. That moment, going through hell, is a constant reminder of how much more capable we are. When we think we can’t go any further, it’s not the case. Go further.